Conventionally, pilots use weather radar to detect and then avoid hazardous weather. Conventional radar systems may produce the desired results only in a limited environment. Typically, airborne threshold systems are traceable to ground-based weather radar thresholds for wet precipitation generated from convective weather. As such, conventional aircraft radar systems are used to detect the amount of water in an air mass. Analysis and/or estimation of the characteristics of a weather cell or storm cell due to the precipitation or other weather conditions is typically not done.
Conventionally, radar thresholds map radar return strength to a display with color representing rain rate or alternatively a weather threat assessment level. Conventionally, the threat level has been previously described as primarily a function of radar reflectivity and a weaker function of temperature, altitude, and latitude or other information. Because of the ability of aircraft to circumnavigate storm system hazards, if recognized, it would therefore be desirable to provide an airborne radar system which has the ability to more accurately detect and report the existence and/or characteristics of storm systems. It may be possible for a pilot operating radar manually to be able to judge storm system characteristics as each pilot becomes familiar with the environment and the weather radar equipment. However, knowledge by the pilot must be acquired, and further, an increase in pilot workload is also necessitated. Therefore, there is a need for an automated system of detecting, analyzing, estimating and communicating storm system characteristics.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.